Trigger - Biography - IMDb Biography Jump to: Overview (3) | Mini Bio (1) | Trivia (6) Overview (3) Golden Cloud Mini Bio (1) Trigger, Roy Rogers ' beautiful Golden Palomino stallion, and co-star with Roy in many of his movies and Roy's TV show, was often billed as "the smartest horse in the movies". The two of them appeared in dozens of westerns in the 1930s and 40s, always chasing and thwarting the bad guys, and working to serve peace and justice. Trigger even shared the movie title with Roy on two occasions: My Pal Trigger (1946) and Trigger, Jr. (1950). Trigger started life out as Golden Cloud (1932). His sire was a thoroughbred horse that had raced at Caliente Track, and his dam was a cold-blooded palomino. Trigger was foaled on a small ranch in the San Diego area which was partly owned by Bing Crosby . The manager of that ranch was Roy Cloud, a breeder originally from Noblesville, Indiana.

At around 3 years of age, Golden Cloud was sold to the Hudkins Stables, which rented horses to the movie industry. Golden Cloud's first major appearance was in the movie, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) where he was ridden by Olivia de Havilland . When Gene Autry failed to report for work at Republic Pictures, Roy Rogers found himself cast in the lead role for Under Western Stars (1938). Before filming began on Under Western Stars (1938), Hudkins Stables brought their best lead horses to the studio so Roy could select a mount. As Roy recalled it, the third horse he got on was a beautiful golden palomino who handled smoothly and reacted quickly to whatever he asked it to do. Roy said of Golden Cloud "He could turn on a dime and give you some change". Smiley Burnette , who played Roy's sidekick in his first two films, was watching and mentioned how quick on the trigger this horse was. Roy agreed and decided that Trigger was the perfect name for the horse. Roy purchased the horse for $2,500 and eventually outfitted it with a $5,000 gold/silver saddle.

Roy was proud of the fact that throughout his more than 80 films, the 101 episodes of his television series, and countless personal appearances, Trigger never fell. Roy once said that "he felt that Trigger seemed to know when people were watching him and that he recognized applause and just ate it up like a ham!" Trigger won a Patsy award for the role in Son of Paleface (1952) & the 1958 Craven award winner. He was so popular that at one time, he even had his own fan club with members from all over the world. On July 3, 1965, at the Rogers ranch in Hidden Valley, California, Trigger, at age 33, passed away. Roy was reluctant to "put him in the ground", so Rogers had the horse mounted in a rearing position by Bishoff's Taxidermy of California. The rest of his remains are buried in Thousand Oaks, California on one of Roy's former ranches. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Roy Rogers Jr.

Trivia (6) Trigger - "The Smartest Horse in the Movies" Trigger "The Smartest Horse in the Movies" By Illustrations Soon after Roy Rogers signed a contract with Republic and before he began production of his first film, he started searching for a suitable horse to ride in his films. Back then, the ï¿½Bï¿½ cowboy stars all rode beautiful ï¿½leadï¿½ horses as compared to ordinary ï¿½castï¿½ horses. Republic sent out a casting call to the rental stables that provided horses to the movie companies. Roy tried out a couple of good horses but as soon as he got on a big golden palomino stallion sent over by the Hudkins Brothers Stable, he knew that he had found the horse he wanted and did not need to look any further. In truth, it was a match made in heaven! While discussing a name for the horse, Smiley Burnett, Royï¿½s sidekick in his first two films, commented that the big horse was sure ï¿½quick on the trigger.ï¿½ Roy decided that would be a good name for him and that is how Trigger got his name.

Smiley was right, Trigger was very fast; in fact he was the fastest horse on the lot. The beautiful golden horse was very athletic and could stop on a dime and give you nine cents change. He could cut and spin so fast that a less experienced rider could be left in mid air and yet his disposition was such that Roy could put three or four kids up on his back at the same time without any worry they would be injured. Royï¿½s eye for horses proved to be excellent. Trigger was without doubt the greatest horse ever to appear in motion pictures. Truly, he was ï¿½one-in-a-million,ï¿½ an exceptional animal that captured the hearts of men and women, boys and girls, all over the world. Trigger was a contemporary of Seabiscuit, and more recognized and popular than the great racehorse. Trigger was four years old when Roy started using him in his films. He was born and raised on a small ranch near San Diego. Bing Crosby was reported to be a part-owner of the ranch.

Originally named Golden Cloud, in honor of his owner and original trainer, Roy Cloud, he was the offspring of a palomino stud named Tarzan and a light chestnut half-Thoroughbred mare. He inherited the color from his sire, speed and sweet disposition of the mare. Prior to coming to Roy, he had been ridden by Olivia DeHavilland in the Errol Flynn film, The Adventures of Robin Hood. Over a period of almost 20 years, the original Trigger appeared in each of Royï¿½s 81 starring films at Republic and all 100 of Royï¿½s television episodes. This is a remarkable record unmatched by any other motion picture animal! Roy did have doubles for Trigger that were used in long shots and for some of the chase scenes. Making Western pictures can be very hard on horses as they may have to retake a scene several times to get it just right. Each of Royï¿½s films featured one or more ï¿½running insertï¿½ close-ups with Roy and Trigger following the camera car at a high rate of speed, and when Roy leaned down, patted his neck and spoke to the big horse, he would accelerate, often faster than the camera car.

In scenes where they were following the camera car in a fast riding close-up, it is obvious to any knowledgeable observer that they had a true unity and partnership unmatched by any other cowboy star and his horse. Roy eventually purchased Trigger from the Hudkins Brothers, for $2,500 on time payments. When Roy was not making films, he was touring the country making personal appearances. Royï¿½s fans demanded to see Trigger at these personal appearances. It quickly became obvious that Trigger could not keep up with the heavy schedule of movie making and traveling on personal appearance tours. So Roy purchased another horse, Little Trigger, a stocky Quarter-type palomino that looked a lot like Trigger except that he had four white stockings and was not quite as tall. He was trained by Royï¿½s wrangler, Jimmy Griffin, and used primarily for personal appearances throughout the ï¿½40ï¿½s, although he does show up in some scenes of Royï¿½s movies from time to time, notably Donï¿½t Fence Me In, Heldorado, and especially Son of Paleface. He was given a starring role in Trigger Jr. (1950).

Griffin left Roy to go to work in the better paying defense industry during World War II so Roy then hired a young cowboy and horse trainer from Nebraska, Glenn Randall, to take care of and help train his horses. Randall was perhaps the foremost horse trainer of all time and worked for Roy for many years. Roy spent a lot of time working with Randall to become the very best horseman he could possibly be. Over time, he became perhaps, the finest horseman of all of Hollywoodï¿½s leading men. When William Witney, veteran Republic action director (he directed 27 of Rogers films) and noted horseman was asked, ï¿½Which of the cowboy stars was the best horseman?ï¿½ He replied without hesitation, ï¿½Roy Rogers.ï¿½ He went on to explain that good horsemanship is not in the seat or legs but in the hands. He said, ï¿½Roy had excellent soft hands.ï¿½ Glenn Randall stated that Trigger was very smart and a fast learner. He could learn tricks for bits written into the movies after being shown a time or two what was expected. Trigger was a star performer and became quite a ham.

He quickly learned the movie business and when he heard the words, ï¿½Quiet on the set,ï¿½ he would perk up, sometimes from dozing in the sun, ears alert, waiting on his cue, ready to work. Likewise when he heard ï¿½cut,ï¿½ he would relax. He was fearless and had what horsemen call ï¿½a lot of heart.ï¿½ He would do stunts in the movies that other horses would balk at and refuse. He had starring roles in three of Royï¿½s films, My Pal Trigger (1946), The Golden Stallion (1949) and Trigger Jr. (1950). Trigger even had his own series of Dell comics in the 1950ï¿½s. In the late 40ï¿½s, Roy bought a beautiful palomino Tennessee Walking Horse stallion that he named Trigger Jr. Randall taught this horse a full range of crowd-pleasing tricks and even taught him to dance. Roy used him occasionally in films and extensively in personal appearances throughout the 50ï¿½s and 60ï¿½s. Roy used Trigger Jr.

as a stud and raised some good palomino foals on his Happy Trails Ranch in Oro Grande, CA. Randy Travis owned a grandson of Trigger Jr. and Triggerson, the performing horse Val Kilmer led onstage as a tribute to Roy during the Academy Awards show in March 1999, was a grandson of Trigger Jr. For a time, Roy used a whole herd of highly trained palomino horses owned and trained by Randall that Roy used in a circus type liberty horse act. A liberty horse is one that works without bridle and reins - at liberty. Roy used this act in some of his personal appearances at rodeos and state fairs. The fact is that Roy owned and/or used many palomino horses throughout the years, some that he bought and some that he borrowed or bred and raised. To the casual fan and observer, they were all Trigger! Dale also had a beautiful palomino named Pal that she used in personal appearances around 1950. She used this horse in a pilot film that she made for television, Queen of the West.

This show never aired because Roy made the decision to go into TV in 1951 and Dale joined him in the highly successful and long running Roy Rogers Show. She didnï¿½t use Pal in that show because he looked so much like Trigger, it was felt that the audience would get the two horses confused. Glenn found a nice buckskin Quarter Horse, Buttermilk, for Dale to use in the show. As a side note, Glenn earlier had looked at a beautiful chocolate colored horse with a white mane and tale for Dale to ride but determined that the horse was a little too spirited for her to handle comfortably. When Rex Allen was looking for a horse, Glenn remembered the chocolate horse and told Rex about him. Rex bought the horse and he became Koko, billed as the ï¿½Miracle horse of the movies.ï¿½ For many years, Roy raised and trained Thoroughbred racehorses at his Happy Trails Ranch at Oro Grande, CA, near Victorville, and he always bred and raised a few good palomino foals each year. In October 1993, he sold at auction the last of his horses, which included grandsons, and granddaughters of Trigger Jr.

Trigger, Trigger Jr., Buttermilk and Bullet, Royï¿½s wonder dog, have all been beautifully mounted and were on display at the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, MO till it closed in December 2009. Also on display were Royï¿½s beautiful Bohlin silver mounted saddles and his unique plastic saddles along with his guns and many other items of interest including Nellybelle, the Jeep that Pat Brady, Royï¿½s comical sidekick drove in the Roy Rogers TV series. Beginning at the High Noon Auction in January 2010, the entire contents of the museum including Trigger were sold in a series of auctions, culminating with Christiess auction on July 14 and 15, in New York. Trigger and Bullet were purchased by Patrick Gottsch, founder and President of RFD-TV, a cable network based in Nebraska.

Illustrations (images will open in new window) Roy Rogers Trigger, along with dog Bullet, sold to Nebraska TV network at auction - CSMonitor.com Roy Rogers Trigger, along with dog Bullet, sold to Nebraska TV network at auction Roy Rogers Trigger, his faithful steed, along with his dog Bullet, were sold at auction this week to a Nebraska TV network that plans to air Roy Rogers fare this fall. By Associated Press Save for later Saved Gil Perez, right, a doorman at Christies auction house, wears an outfit and holds a guitar belonging to Roy Rogers as he stands alongside the preserved remains of Rogers' horse 'Trigger' and dog 'Bullet' at the New York auction house, July 9. AP Photo/Richard Drew View Caption of New York — After sitting stuffed and mounted for more than 40 years in a museum, Roy Rogers ' horse Trigger and dog Bullet will be TV stars once more. Rural cable network RFD-TV bought Bullet for $35,000 on Thursday and Trigger for $266,000 a day earlier at an auction in New York City . RFD-TV owner Patrick Gottsch said the Omaha , Neb.

-based network will begin airing old Roy Rogers movies on Saturdays starting November 6. The movie cowboy's son, Roy Jr., will introduce each film, as Trigger and Bullet stand in the background. Photos of the Day Photos of the day 02/08 Trigger and Bullet were part of a Christie's auction of items from the now-closed Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Mo . On Thursday, more than 1,000 items hit the auction block, including the Rogers family dining set, which sold at $11,875, triple the presale estimate; Trigger's flower-bedecked straw hat, which fetched $2,750, compared with the $500 to $1,000 estimate; and the hand-drawn music and lyrics to "Happy Trails," which sold for $27,500, compared with the estimate of $500. All sale prices include the buyer's premium of 25 percent for most items, or 20 percent for prices in excess of $50,000. The total sale realized $2.98 million, according to Christie's. No items went unsold.

Auctioneer Cathy Elkies said Rogers' silver Jeep Nellybelle was the most anticipated item up for auction, with an estimated sale price of between $20,000 and $30,000. Pam Weidel, a horse trainer from New Jersey , went home with Nellybelle for $116,500. She said she always felt a special attachment to Nellybelle when she watched Roy Rogers Westerns as a child. "I called all my cars that over the years. I'd say, 'C'mon Nellybelle,'" she said. Now that she has the real Nellybelle, Weidel says she's planning to keep it in the private museum of businessman John B. Haines IV, who is in the construction industry, in Pennsburg, Pa. Julie Ann Ream, the niece of another famous singing cowboy, Rex Allen , said she and others in the audience were nervous about where the pieces of the collection would end up. She said the crowd cheered when an item went to a collector they knew would put the item back in a museum for public viewing. "A lot of it, you just don't know where it's going," she said.

Trigger's new owner said he's heard from thousands of relieved Rogers fans. "Over the last 24 hours, I've received so many e-mails of thank you, just wonderful letters, saying 'Thank you for saving Trigger,'" Gottsch said. With a Western icon on the line, Gottsch said the auction was heart-pounding. RFD-TV CFO Steve Campione sat at Christie's auction hall Wednesday night while Gottsch yelled into Campione's headset from Omaha. "We almost lost Trigger at $200,000," Gottsch said. "Steve couldn't hear me, and I was yelling on the phone, 'Hit him! Hit him! Hit him!' and he was saying 'What?'" But they snagged the golden palomino after all. Gottsch said children will be able to come to RFD-TV's new headquarters in Omaha to visit the famous horse. The other two preserved horses up for sale, Rogers' wife Dale Evans ' steed, Buttermilk, and Trigger's body double, Trigger Jr., both went to private U.S. buyers for $25,000 and $18,750.

Elkies, the auctioneer, said it was the "most colorful, emotional and sentimental" sale she had experienced in her 20 years at Christie's. At the end of the auction, the audience broke out spontaneously in a rendition of the Roy Rogers theme song "Happy Trails." Related: Roy Rogers and his Triggers (From Old Corral image collection) Above - Roy and the original Trigger. Special thanks to Leo Pando for consolidating a variety of information on Roy, Dale and the many Triggers. Thanks also to Leo, Les Adams, Lee Flippin and Minard Coons for the images. Definitive research on Trigger has appeared in Robert W. Phillips' book Roy Rogers (McFarland Publishing, 1995) and in issues of The Old Cowboy Picture Show newsletter which were partially reprinted in Bobby Copeland's Silent Hoofbeats (Empire Publishing, 2001). Roy Rogers, the several Triggers ... Pal ... Dale Evans and Buttermilk Roy Rogers rode a number of horses during his film and television careers --- they were all billed as "Trigger". In over a quarter century performing in public, he used three main Palominos: 1.

The original, known on movie sets as "the Old Man". 2. Little Trigger, featured on the cover of Life magazine in 1943 and exclusively in SON OF PALEFACE (Paramount, 1952). 3. Trigger, Jr., a Tennessee Walker stallion used mostly on personal appearances and in the movie that bears his name. The original Trigger was born in 1934 on a ranch in San Diego. (Trigger's registration form information was first published in The Old Cowboy Picture Show newsletter by Leo Pando in 2004. It was made available by fan George Mudryj and the President of the Palomino Horse Association, Steve Rebuck.) Roy Rogers expert Robert W. Phillips originally believed Trigger was foaled on a San Diego ranch partly owned by Bing Crosby. Breed expert Pat Mefford has never been able to confirm this and notes Crosby's ranch was in Ventura. Trigger was born from breeding stock owned by Captain Larry Good. The colt's second owner was Roy F. Cloud Jr., a breeder originally from Noblesville, Indiana. Cloud managed a ranch in San Diego and it was he who first named the Palomino colt Golden Cloud.

At around three years of age, the horse was sold to the Hudkins Stables which provided livestock for the movie industry in southern California. Trigger's bloodlines are not confirmed on his registration form. When discussing Trigger's origin in countless interviews, Rogers usually said he was "half thoroughbred and half cold-blooded; his sire was a race horse at Caliente, and his dam was a cold-blooded Palomino." According to the registration form the dam's color was chestnut. Pat Mefferd believes Trigger was at most one quarter thoroughbred. Before Roy Rogers bought him outright, the Golden Cloud appeared in a few movies as a cast movie horse including the Errol Flynn classic ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (Warner Brothers, 1938) ridden by Olivia DeHaviland/Maid Marian. Co-editor of The Old Cowboy Picture Show newsletter, Leo Pando, was the first to spot the Golden Cloud ridden by Gilbert Roland in the black and white film JUAREZ (Warner Brothers, 1939) starring Betty Davis and Paul Muni. Eagle-eyed Trigger fan Larry Roe was first to notice the Golden Cloud in the Joe E.

Brown comedy SHUT MY BIG MOUTH (Columbia, 1942). Roy Rogers became aware of the Golden Cloud in 1937 when he was auditioning horses for his first starring feature, UNDER WESTERN STARS (Republic, 1938). Legend has it that sidekick Smiley Burnette suggested naming the Palomino "Trigger" after someone commented that he was "quick on the trigger." (Courtesy of Lee Flippin) Above are Roy Rogers, the original Trigger, and Carol Hughes in a scene from Roy's first starring adventure, UNDER WESTERN STARS (Republic, 1938). It wasn't until 1943 that Rogers bought Trigger from Hudkins Stable for $2,500 (bill of sale provided by Joel 'Dutch' Dortch through his connection to Roy 'Dusty' Rogers Jr. and first published in The Old Cowboy Picture Show newsletter by Leo Pando in 2003). Glenn Randall, who trained Rogers' Palominos, was instrumental in the purchase and rightfully boasted that it was one of the best horse deals in Hollywood history.

Partially due to Trigger, Palominos became very popular and many appearing in movies in the 40s and 50s were thought to be him. The original Trigger had only a left rear white stocking. His white face blaze extends above the nostril on his near side (left side) and goes straight down covering the nostril on his far side and ends at his lip. Trigger Jr., born in 1941, was originally owned by a Paul K. Fisher of Souderton, Pennsylvania, the Palomino stud's registered name was Allen's Gold Zephyr. It was a common public relations claim that the original Trigger appeared in all of Rogers' films when in fact it was Little Trigger featured in the Bob Hope comedy SON OF PALEFACE (1952). With the advent of DVD and the "freeze frame" option, fans can see how often Little Trigger substituted for "the Old Man" in most of Rogers' movies from the early 1940s on. The original Trigger died in 1965 at age 31 and Trigger Jr. in 1969.

Both Palominos were mounted by Bishoff's Taxidermy of California and were on display for years at the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Victorville, California. The original Trigger was also on display at The Roy Rogers - Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Missouri. For a time, Dale Evans also rode a Palomino in personal appearances named Pal. She used the same animal in a pilot for a proposed television series of her own. When she appeared on television in THE ROY ROGERS SHOW, it was decided that using a second Palomino would be confusing. Glenn Randall loaned her a light buckskin Quarter horse gelding. Evans called it Buttermilk. Rex Allen's statement that his stallion Koko (originally owned by Glenn Randall) was once suggested as a mount for Evans is not correct. According to Randall's son Corky, the stud was always considered to hard to handle for Ms. Evans. For a comprehensive and detailed history of Trigger and his doubles, refer to An Illustrated History of Trigger - The Lives and Legend of Roy Rogers' Palomino published by McFarland.

While revising the book remains my dream - especially as new details have surfaced since the original publication in 2007 - what follows are some errors noted by Roy Rogers superfan Roy Dillow and registry expert Pat Mefferd: Page 8, caption: replace Silver Spurs with Apache Rose. Page 18, caption: replace "an unidentified child" with "Linda Lou" Page 38, section on Roy F. Cloud Jr. should read: Trigger was bred from stock owned by Captain Larry Good. Roy F. Cloud, a former U.S. border patrolman turned horse breeder from Nobelsville, Indiana, was the foal's second owner and registered him as the Golden Cloud in 1937. Neither Palomino registry existed at the time of Trigger's birth on July 4, 1934. Although it's been rumored that the Golden Cloud was born on a stock ranch near San Diego partially owned by singer Bing Crosby that has never been confirmed. According to Pat Mefferd, pedigree research expert, Crosby's ranch was in Ventura County. Mefferd also could not recall any palominos running on thoroughbred tracks in the U.S. at the time.

Granted there could have been some match races pitting one horse against another in Mexico at Caliente, but chances are the horses were not registered. Page 173, paragraph 8, line 5 that begins "No photos exist ..." should read: "There are but a few photos that exist of Rogers and "Trigger" in the "end of the trail" pose." Page 225, paragraph 2, line 1 "27 years in show business" should be changed to "19 years in show business" Page 235, year 1934 remove "partially owned by Bing Crosby and" Leo Pando Trigger: The HappyTrails.org website includes biographies and images of various Triggers written by Joel 'Dutch' Dortch. They also have images of the Palomino registration paperwork on the original Trigger as well as the Bill of Sale from the Hudkins Stables to Roy Rogers along with Roy's final payment in 1943.

Go to the following, and scroll down the page to the bottom for those images: 'Dutch' has another article on the saddles used by Roy, including the several plastic saddle variations: The Happy Trails Forever website has info on the various Triggers: The Roy Rogers World website has info on Trigger: There's a profile on former pro boxer Ace Hudkins who settled down and became the owner of one of the main stables that furnished horses, wagons, etc. to Hollywood. Included is mention of Hudkins' Silver (Silver Chief) as well as the original Trigger. Go to The Movieland Directory website at: Roy Rogers' horse sells for more than $266,000 - today > entertainment - today > entertainment > celebs - TODAY.com Related video Roy Rogers memorabilia hits the block Dale Evans photo This photo of Dale Evans, who was not only Roy Rogers' wife but a successful singer and songwriter in her own right, is hand-tinted. Framed with leather corners, it has the initials "RR" in one corner.

(Courtesy of Christie's) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Roy's custom Bonneville Customized by famed "Rodeo Tailor to the Stars" Nudie Cohn, who designed outfits for everyone from Elvis to ZZ Top, this 1964 Pontiac Bonneville convertible features a hand-tooled leather interior as well as hundreds of genuine silver dollars and chrome-plated guns, many of which function as handles and controls (note six-shooters atop the headlights and in center of horseshoe hood ornament). A 6-foot set of Texas longhorns adorns the front of the car, while the trunk is emblazoned ROY ROGERS. It is estimated to bring $100,000 to $150,000 at auction. (Courtesy of Christie's) Share Back to slideshow navigation Related story Personal items of Marilyn, Elvis go on auction Roy, Trigger and Bullet This sepia-toned photo of Roy Rogers, his golden palomino Trigger, and his German shepherd Bullet measures a huge 6 feet, 3 inches wide by 5 feet, 3 inches tall. It is expected to bring $300 to $500.

(Courtesy of Christie's) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Rogers family dining room This is the round dining table that Roy, Dale and family would gather around for meals. The offering also includes chairs, rug, hanging wheel chandelier, several pictures, a family photo and a dinner bell. (Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Nellybelle Along with Roy and Dale, their horses Trigger and Buttermilk, and Roy's dog Bullet, one of the most memorable characters on the Roy Rogers TV show that ran from 1951 through 1957 was inanimate: Nellybelle, a 1946 Willys CJ-2A Jeep. Though Roy owned the vehicle, it was driven in the show by his comic sidekick Pat Brady, who was always trying to coax it into cooperating with him. Nellybelle is expected to bring $20,000 to $30,000. (Courtesy of Christie's) Share Back to slideshow navigation Baseball memorabilia Roy Rogers owned a collection of baseball memorabilia as well as Western mementos.

On auction are a Gaylord Perry Hall of Famer ball inscribed to Rogers by Perry, with trading card; a Billy Williams Hall of Fame Cubs ball, also inscribed with trading card; a Chuck Knoblauch 1991 American League Rookie of the Year autographed ball and trading card; and a Jack Morris 1991 World Series Most Valuable Player autographed ball and trading card. (Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Buttermilk Dale Evans' horse, Buttermilk, was originally an abused animal rescued on his way to the slaughterhouse by a cattle farmer. Treated with love, the rescued quarter horse acquired a sunny disposition and was named Soda before being sold to Dale Evans, who renamed him Buttermilk after the old song "Ole Buttermilk Sky." Buttermilk could actually outrun Trigger, and when he died at age 31, he was stuffed and put on display in the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum along with Trigger and Bullet (in foreground).

(Courtesy of Christie's) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Bullet Bullet, Roy Rogers' German shepherd, made his debut in "Spoilers of the Plains" in 1951, billed as "the wonder dog." Bullet was also a regular on TV's "Roy Rogers Show" in the 1950s and '60s. Bullet was the dog's real name, and he really was Roy Rogers' and Dale Evans' family pet. His stuffed remains are estimated to bring $10,000 to $15,000. (Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Photographs This color photo of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans is one of three in an offering expected to bring $200 to $300. The others are a black-and-white photo of Rogers performing, and a black-and-white shot of his comical sidekicks George "Gabby" Hayes and Pat Brady. (Courtesy of Christie's) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Trigger The "Smartest Horse in the Movies," Trigger could do 100 stunts, including untying ropes and shooting a gun.

Originally named Golden Cloud, the golden palomino had already appeared in such movies as "The Adventures of Robin Hood" when Roy Rogers bought him for $2,500 after riding him just 100 yards. Rogers never used reins, spurs or a whip to guide Trigger through countless films, TV episodes and personal appearances; just a touch and a pat. When Trigger died in 1965 one day short of age 31, Rogers couldn't bear to "put him in the ground" and had him mounted in a rearing postion and put on display. (Courtesy of Christie's) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise "Happy Trails to You" The theme song for Roy Rogers' and Dale Evans' radio show in the 1940s and their television show in the 1950s, "Happy Trails" was sung as a duet by the two stars and released as a record in 1952. Dale Evans composed the song, shown here hand-drawn and mounted on foam-core board. (Courtesy of Christie's) Share Back to slideshow navigation Saddle on Trigger Jr. This special custom parade saddle ordered from the shop of Edward H.

Bohlin around 1949 was used on both Trigger and Trigger Jr. Mounted in engraved sterling silver and adorned with solid-gold figures of cowboys performing rodeo stunts, it was Roy Rogers' last and most ornate saddle. It is expected to bring $100,000 to $150,000 at auction. (Courtesy of Christie's) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Early married life of Roy and Dale Shown is one of a collection of black-and-white photographs depicting the marriage of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, who were wed on New Year's Eve 1947 at the Flying L Ranch in Davis, Oklahoma, where they had filmed the western "Home in Oklahoma" earlier that year. Some of the images include Roy "Dusty" Rogers Jr., Rogers' son from his first marriage. (Courtesy of Christie's) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise MATT LAUER, co-host: We are back at 8:45 with a taste of the Wild West right here in Manhattan . Starting tomorrow, Christie's is auctioning off items once owned by the King of the Cowboys and the Queen of the West , Roy Rogers and Dale Evans .

Al is just down the block at the auction house with a preview. Al : AL ROKER reporting: Hey, thanks a lot, Matt. Joining me is Roy Rogers Jr ., Dusty . Good to see you. Mr. ROY ROGERS Jr.: Al . God bless you . Good to see you, sir. ROKER: You know, over 1,000 items, this was in your family's museum... Mr. ROGERS: Yes. ROKER: ...and how come you're letting it go? Mr. ROGERS: Well, we're not really letting it go, we're passing history on to other people. Mom and Dad kept it for 42 years. Dad said when it gets to the point where it's causing you kids a problem just, you know, move it out, so that's what we're doing. And Mom and Dad left us a lot of legacies, the museum and their things were one, music was the next and their books, and we're still able to continue that music in Branson ... ROKER: Mm-hmm. Mr.

ROGERS: ...with my band the High Riders at the Gilley Theatre , but these things have to go out into the public. ROKER: So let's take a look at some of this. And you designed this. Mr. ROGERS: I did. ROKER: This is the Shooting Gallery . Mr. ROGERS: Yeah. We had it made in England and shipped over here. I designed it, you know, because I thought I had to have all the elements with Gabby and Pat , which was Dad 's other sidekick for years. ROKER: Sure. Mr. ROGERS: And the fellow behind the bars and the one behind the window, the bad guys... ROKER: Mm-hmm. Mr. ROGERS: ...you know, you got to have the bad guys. ROKER: Of course . Mr. ROGERS: But it's a very active gun... ROKER: A little gun -- a little gunplay. Mr. ROGERS: Everybody wants to play guns.

ROKER: Now as far -- as we take a look up here, this -- besides Trigger and Buttermilk and Bullet being the centerpiece of this exhibit and this auction, this Bonneville designed by Nudie , the guy who did all your... Mr. ROGERS: Yes. ROKER: ...your folks' costumes. Mr. ROGERS: He made all of the -- yeah -- all of the outfits for Mom and Dad , all the rhinestones. ROKER: And this -- tell me about this car. This is unbelievable. Mr. ROGERS: It's a -- it's a '63 Bonneville Pontiac and completely done with all leather interior. ROKER: Mm-hmm. Mr. ROGERS: There's like 20 different guns on here, there's over 300 silver dollars. And every handle or knob or door handle is a gun, so. ROKER: And there are some -- there are some famous names on -- signed on the back of this thing. Mr. ROGERS: Elvis Presley , yeah, and John Wayne and Jim Davis , Governor Jim Davis , and Mom and Dad signed it, and so a lot of great names.

ROKER: You know, what's fascinating also, your dad drove around in this thing. Mr. ROGERS: He used to hunt with it, yeah. Hey, I've seen him with bobcats on the hood of it, so. ROKER: Oh, my gosh. Mr. ROGERS: Yeah. ROKER: And of course a cowboy is known for his boots. Mr. ROGERS: Absolutely. Yeah. This was his very first pair, you know, and you got to have your baby shoes bronzed, so Dad was no different, he had to have his first boots bronzed, so. ROKER: And he -- and he worked on all of his boots himself. Mr. ROGERS: He did. Because he was -- he -- his first job was at the United States Shoe Company in Cincinnati , that's what his first job was. ROKER: Wow. Mr. ROGERS: So he knew how to build boots from the ground up . ROKER: That is fascinating. As we head on into here, you know, one of the things that your folks were known for, their costumes. Mr. ROGERS: Yes.

ROKER: I mean, they had some amazing costumes. Mr. ROGERS: Yeah. And I think a lot of that had to do with coming to Madison Square Garden because the kids couldn't see them in the middle of the arena so they started putting rhinestones on things... ROKER: Mm-hmm. Mr. ROGERS: ...and made them pop out in the middle of the arena. ROKER: OK, we would see them in public in this, but when... Mr. ROGERS: Yes. ROKER: ...when you were home with them, what would they wear? Mr. ROGERS: Oh, Dad was usually in a pair of jeans, an old -- an old striped shirt and sneakers. That's what he did. That was Dad at home, but... ROKER: Tell me about your mom. Mr. ROGERS: Mom Dale , I'll tell you, she had her hands full with nine children, you know, they adopted four and had one foster child . ROKER: Mm-hmm. Mr. ROGERS: And then they had the children between the two of them , and how they survived nine children.

I mean, she was the greatest Christian lady you'd ever want to meet. ROKER: Tell me about this piece here. Mr. ROGERS: Very special piece to mom. It's a -- it's a charm bracelet that Ralph Edwards and "This is Your Life " gave to Mom in 1952 ... ROKER: Mm-hmm. Mr. ROGERS: ...when they -- when they surprised Dad with that -- with that show. It has -- it completely chronicles Roy and Dale 's life from the time that Dad was in Duck Run , Mom was in Texas , and then it chronicles their life all through in charms that actually work and... ROKER: Wow, that's... Mr. ROGERS: ...it's made right here in New York . ROKER: It's beautiful. ROKER: And of course , the music collection here of instruments. Mr. ROGERS: Guitars. ROKER: Your dad was -- had a beautiful voice. Mr. ROGERS: Oh, absolutely.

Well, he started as a Sons of the Pioneers 1934 , and of course they went on and just -- Dad signed his first contract '38 and went on to be King of the Cowboys . ROKER: Well, it's a -- it's a piece of Americana . Mr. ROGERS: It is. ROKER: We don't have the cowboys to idolize anymore. Mr. ROGERS: Not the same heroes we had. ROKER: Yeah. ROKER: Well, Roy Rogers Jr. Mr. ROGERS: Al , thank you, sir. ROKER: Thank you so much . People want more information, go to our Web site , todayshow.com, to find out about the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans collection that's being auctioned off at Christie's . Matt : Roy Rogers (1911 - 1998) - Find A Grave Memorial San Bernardino County California, USA Actor, Singer. He was born Leonard Franklin Slye in Cincinnati, Ohio to a musical family. His father played guitar and his Kentucky-born mother was a singer. Leonard grew up in Duck Run, Ohio a little town near Portsmouth.

He quit high school after two years forced to work in a shoe factory to help support his family. At nineteen, he moved to California and formed a band which became known as the Sons of The Pioneers. Soon, they were on the radio and with the songwriting of Bob Nolan a band member, they yodeled and sang their way to stardom. Their recording "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" becoming a number one hit on the charts. Leonard began working as an extra at Republic Pictures. Given the name "Roy Rogers" he teamed up with his horse Trigger, and made his first picture "Under Western Stars" while receiving a contract with Republic Pictures which lasted 13 years producing some 37 movies. During World War II, Roy became "The King of The Cowboys," while making numerous USO tours with his horse Trigger raising millions of dollars through the sale of War Bonds. He began making movies with Dale Evans known as "The Queen of the West." which led to marriage and a partnership which lasted the rest of their lives.

With the onset of television, The Roy Rogers Show staring Roy, Dale and co-star Pat Brady, Trigger, Dale's horse Buttermilk and their dog Bullet aired on NBC lasting for seven years while the song penned by Dale, "Happy Trails" became a hit and the Rogers theme song. His continued recordings produced another major hit with "Candy Kisses" and finally while Roy and Dale were running their museum in Victorville, California in late life another hit which put him back on the charts "Hold On Partner" from a special "Tribute" album he made at age 80. In 1988, he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. The couple remained favorites through their connection with Christian programs and the Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville. Roy Rogers died at the age of 86 in his home in at Apple Valley, California from heart failure. A public service was held at the Church of the Valley with a western theme laced with frontier Army traditions.

With the singing of his western songs by the Sons of the Pioneers, his body was conveyed in a glass enclosed 1898 hearse drawn by a single Clydesdale to his final resting place while accompanied by an array of people dressed in old western style garb. Dale joined him upon her death and even the animals who starred with the famous couple, Trigger who lived to be 33, Dales horse Buttermilk and even the dog Bullet were all mounted with places of honor in the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum. However: the stuffed animals as well as the museum, suffering from dwindling attendance, hit the trail and was moved from Victorville to Branson, Missouri in 2003. (bio by: Donald Greyfield) Buttermilk (1941 - 1972) - Find A Grave Memorial Death: 1972 Show horse. When Dale Evans was signed to be the co-star of Roy Rogers , the studio was under the impression, she being from Texas, was proficient in horsemanship. However, she had never before been in a saddle and was unable to ride. Lessons were arranged and she became an expert rider.

It was determined that the horse originally used by Dale Evans was too much a look alike to Roy Rogers' horse Trigger and was replaced by one owned by Hollywood animal trainer Glenn Randall. Dale became attached to the gelding, purchased him thus ending a long search for the perfect horse. The buckskin Quarter Horse, with dark points, was actually faster from the blocks than Trigger which irked Roy and required retakes in scenes when Dale broke away faster speeding to the rescue. The fact this horse survived its early life and made it to Hollywood is indeed amazing. As a colt, he was rescued by a cattle farmer who bought him from a horse trader while being taken with others to a slaughter house. He had been severely abused and was very mean. The new owners named him Taffy and began training him to become a cutting competition horse and eventually the animal came around to assume a friendly and affectionate disposition. Glen Randall always looking for animals to train, noticed him while appearing with his Liberty Troupe, saw him in competition at the Minatare rodeo in Nebraska and purchased the animal. So-Taffy ended up in Hollywood.

With Dale Evans astride, and given the name Buttermilk, the steed appeared in all but six of the Roy Rogers Show television episodes that aired Sundays from 1951 to 1957. Buttermilk died at age 31 and given the same treatment as his counterpart Trigger. His hide was stretched over a plaster likeness and put on display at the Roy-Rogers-Dale Evans Museum then located in Victorville, California. The excellent mounting was done by Bishoff's Taxidermy of California. Due to dwindling attendance and with the death of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the museum was moved from Victorville to Branson, Missouri, where it finally closed in December 2009. As of July 2010 Buttermilk was to be sold at auction. (bio by: Donald Greyfield) The Roy Rogers Show (TV Series 1951–1957) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends.

Error The Double R Ranch featured "The King of the Cowboys" Roy, his "Smartest Horse in the Movies" Trigger, "Queen of the West" Dale, her horse Buttermilk, their dog Bullet, and even Pat's jeep, Nellybelle. Stars: A tyrannical Boston financier travels to Mineral City to confront his son, and inadvertently becomes enmeshed in a local jail break. 9.2 Jerry Hill is the star witness against the Collins outlaw gang. After Jerry is ambushed and almost killed, Roy has to make sure he keeps Jerry alive and well so he can testify against the gang. 8.1 A former police officer (House Peters, Jr.) who believes he has lost his nerve, teams up with Sheriff Roy to corral bandits attempting to recover buried holdup loot.

8.0 a list of 27 titles created 15 Jan 2013 a list of 43 titles created 02 Apr 2014 a list of 29 titles created 07 Apr 2015 a list of 33 titles created 7 months ago a list of 29 titles created 5 months ago Title: The Roy Rogers Show (1951–1957) 7.5/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. See more awards » Photos The adventures of the masked hero and his Native American partner. Stars: Jay Silverheels, Clayton Moore, John Hart Marshal Earp keeps the law, first in Kansas and later in Arizona, using his over-sized pistols and a variety of sidekicks. Most of the saga is based loosely on fact, with historical badguys...

See full summary » Stars: Hugh O'Brian, Jimmy Noel, Ethan Laidlaw After the Civil War, nomadic adventurer Cheyenne Bodie roamed the west looking for fights, women and bad guys to beat up. His job changed from episode to episode. Stars: Clint Walker, Clyde Howdy, Chuck Hicks Frontier hero Daniel Boone conducts surveys and expeditions around Boonesborough, running into both friendly and hostile Indians, just before and during the Revolutionary War. Stars: Fess Parker, Patricia Blair, Darby Hinton The already legendary singing cowboy rode with his comic pal Pat from town to town bringing justice, song and his horse Champion to the old Southwest. Stars: Gene Autry, Champion, Pat Buttram Dressed-up dandy (derby and cane), gambler and lawman roams the West charming women and defending the unjustly accused. His primary weapon was his wit (and cane) rather than his gun. Stars: Gene Barry, Allison Hayes, Allen Jaffe Stories of the journeys of a wagon train as it leaves post-Civil War Missouri on its way to California through the plains, deserts and Rocky Mountains. The first treks were led by gruff, ...

See full summary » Stars: Frank McGrath, Terry Wilson, Robert Horton Bret and Bart Maverick (and in later seasons, their English cousin, Beau) are well dressed gamblers who migrate from town to town always looking for a good game. Poker (5 card draw) is ... See full summary » Stars: Jack Kelly, James Garner, Roger Moore Hopalong and his horse Topper catch bad guys with Red Connors for comic relief. Stars: William Boyd, Edgar Buchanan, Andy Clyde Mike Nelson is a Scuba Diver in the days when it was still very new. He works alone and the plot was always mostly carried through his voice over narrations. These gave the show a flavor of... See full summary » Stars: Lloyd Bridges, Ken Drake, Courtney Brown The adventures of a gentlemanly gunfighter for hire. Stars: Richard Boone, Kam Tong, Hal Needham Lawman is the story of Marshal Dan Troop of Laramie, Wyoming and his deputy Johnny McKay, an orphan Troop took under his wing. In the second season Lily Merrill opens The Birdcage Saloon ...

See full summary » Stars: John Russell, Peter Brown, Peggie Castle Edit Storyline The Double R Ranch featured "The King of the Cowboys" Roy, his "Smartest Horse in the Movies" Trigger, "Queen of the West" Dale, her horse Buttermilk, their dog Bullet, and even Pat's jeep, Nellybelle. Pat Brady 's horse was Phineas. See more » Quotes [title sequence] Announcer: "The Roy Rogers Show," starring Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys; Trigger, his golden palomino; and Dale Evans, Queen of the West; with Pat Brady, his comical sidekick; and Roy's wonder dog, Bullet. (United States) – See all my reviews WHEN WE HAD CBS with THE GENE AUTRY SHOW, the National Broadcasting Company answered with THE ROY ROGERS SHOW. It was as if the two friendly rivals were truly slugging it out; although not going toe to toe for their ratings, they still had to establish who was truly number one TV Cowboy.

WHEREAS THE "B" MOVIE fans were very familiar with this sort of series Western from studios like Republic*, Coluimbia, Monogram and Producers Releasing Corporation, no real beach head had been established on the newly created realm of Television. WELL THAT SURE didn't last very long as Flying A Productions (GENE AUTRY, ANNIE OAKLEY,RANGE RIDER) and Bar Double R produced the ROY ROGERS SHOW. Others, many others followed. AS FAR AS the Rogers production, there was far more continuity with more regular cast members. Roy and Dale Evans Mrs. Rogers in real life) always managed to get involved with whatever local hugs had planned for 'Mineral City' and vicinity. They were great help to somewhat laid-back and inept middle aged Sheriff, played by Harry Harvey. Then there was "Roy's comical sidekick", Pat Brady, thrown in for,. that's right, comic relief.

THE ONE THIG that always was a puzzlement to us as kids was that whereas Roy rode his palomino horse, Trigger and Miss Dale rode her mare, Buttermilk; why did Pat Brady drive a jeep with the name of "Nellie-belle?" After all, how could one have a Jeep, an automobile, in the Old West? THE ANSWER OF course is that THE ROY ROGERS SHOW, as were so many of the old "B" Western Sderies Poctures, was set in the modern, then contemporary times of the 1950s. WE ALSO WOULD like to make mention of one other regular cast member. That would be Bullet, Roy's faithful German Shepard puppy dog. ROY KNEW THAT he needed all the help ion his 'rivalry' with Gene. And, as any schoolboy knows, people just love dogs. NOTE: * Both men had worked at Republic and Roy had been a member of the Western Musical group, THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS when he arrived there. When Gene went to the Service in World War II, it was the former Leonard Sly ()Roy's birth name) who replaced him.

Upon his return, Gene established his own company, FLYING A PRODUCTIONS and struck a deal for release with Columbia. 3 of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes CNN - Roy Rogers, 'King of the Cowboys,' dead at 86 - July 6, 1998 Roy Rogers, 'King of the Cowboys,' dead at 86 Web posted on: Monday, July 06, 1998 11:19:56 AM VICTORVILLE, California (CNN) -- Roy Rogers, the King of the Cowboys who appeared in more than 100 films and rode atop his trusty horse named Trigger in most of them, singing his theme song "Happy Trails," died Monday morning at the age of 86. The singing television and movie star passed away at his Apple Valley home after suffering from congestive heart failure, a statement from his publicist said. Funeral services are being planned. Following news of his death, the entertainment world tried to put in perspective what Rogers stood for in his films and TV shows, and in life. "He just seemed to be the ultimate good guy," film historian Leonard Maltin told CNN.

"He was a good looking man, a good singer. There was just something easy-going and likeable about him." RELATED VIDEO 56K Go West, young man Born Leonard Slye on November 5, 1911, in Ohio, Rogers worked on his family's farm until 1929. With the Great Depression sweeping the country, Rogers packed up a guitar that he bought for $20 and headed west for Hollywood. "You couldn't beg, borrow, or steal a job in 1931, 1932," Rogers once said. "It was really tough." But Rogers survived and thrived. He worked as a truck driver, peach picker and country singer. Forming a band called "Sons of the Pioneers," Rogers enjoyed moderate success, appearing on Los Angeles radio. His big break came in 1937 when he snuck onto the lot of Republic Pictures and landed a $75-a-week contract. "The funny part of it is, I say I must be where God wants me or I wouldn't be here," he said.

"I just got in the door and a hand fell over my shoulder." Rogers rode Trigger in all his films and on his television show Roy and Dale Rogers appeared in his first film, "Way Up Thar," in 1935. By the late '30s, he had changed his name to Rogers, was playing himself in each movie -- a singing cowboy in a white hat -- and would soon earn the nickname "King of the Cowboys," a title that, in the eyes of his fans, placed him above his friend and Hollywood cowboy rival Gene Autry. It was while making the 1944 film "The Cowboy and the Senorita" that Rogers met Dale Evans. They married three years later, 14 months after his first wife, Arlene, died. Evans became the reluctant queen to his cowboy empire. Through the 1940s and into the 1950s, Rogers career rode the crest of an incredible wave. For 12 straight years he was the No. 1 Western star at the box office in a magazine poll of theater operators. His television series, which ran from 1951 to 1957, and thereafter in reruns, had similar appeal.

Rogers with his wife, Dale Evans, who became known as the "Queen of the Cowboys" The Roy Rogers theme In films and on TV, Roy Rogers' style of entertainment followed his theme song, "Happy Trails." He played the good guy who would shoot the gun out of the villain's hand, rather than shooting and wounding the villain. "When I was a boy, our parents taught us that hitting below the belt was a cowardly thing," he once said. "I don't believe this kind of thing is 'entertainment' no matter how you look at it." In his films, Rogers was often accompanied by his trusty sidekick, bewhiskered George "Gabby" Hayes, and his dog Bullet. Evans often played the female lead. Rogers bought his first guitar for $20, left his parents' farm in Ohio and headed west Trigger happy And then there was Rogers' horse, Trigger, who reached heights of popularity paralleling that of his famous rider. Billed as "the smartest horse in the movies," Trigger often received billing over Evans.

"Cowboys weren't allowed to kiss girls in pictures, so one time I gave Dale a little peck on the forehead and we got a ton of letters to leave that mushy stuff out," Rogers recalled. "So I had to kiss Trigger instead." Trigger appeared in all the films and TV shows in which Rogers starred. When the horse died in 1965, at age 33, he was stuffed and remained a fixture at Roy and Dale's museum in Apple Valley. "So many people loved him through the years, that I just didn't have the heart to put him in the ground," Rogers said. At first, Evans tried to talk Rogers out of it. "I told him, 'OK, when you die I'm going to stuff you and put you on him," she said. Evans later had a change of heart and even had her own horse, Buttermilk, put on display. The golden years The couple spent their later years greeting fans at the museum and enjoying life with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In 1993 they were honored for their humanitarian efforts.

Rogers' rodeo grossed $425,000 on a tour of state fairs, and he estimated it cost $30,000 in 1960 just to answer his fan mail. "I'm an introvert at heart," Rogers once said. "And show business -- even though I've loved it so much -- has always been hard for me." It made him a millionaire, though. With his wholesome image and shrewd business sense, Rogers made a fortune, becoming second only to Walt Disney in souvenir sales and licensing -- everything from cap pistols to lunch boxes. Nearly 600 restaurants bear his name and have paid him a percentage of the profits. Rogers' estate was once valued at over $100 million. Rogers is survived by Evans; sons Roy Rogers Jr. and Tom Fox; daughters Cheryl Barnett, Linda Lou Johnson and Dodie Sailors; 15 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren. Correspondent Sherri Sylvester and Reuters contributed to this report. Message board:

Question: What was the name of Roy Rogers' horse?
Answer: Trigger